Vintage wallpapers always holds a special place in the hearts of wallpaper lovers.
Their unique designs and timeless patterns trigger memories of a time long gone and create a unique atmosphere and vibe. It’s no wonder that they have been sought after by those who seek to recreate a retro look.
I am one of those people and have been wanting to redecorate my living room using a vintage wallpaper for a while so I decided to get on the case. What I quickly realised is that using actual vintage wallpaper causes more problems than I anticipated. To start with, it is difficult to source good quality rolls. Often finding that the wallpaper had been sitting in a dusty storage space for decades, a long forgotten leftover stock from another era. The damage done by time, humidity and having been stored in less than perfect conditions for a number of years might not be visible at first, as the roll might look in pristine conditions. Once unrolled though I quickly discovered that the paper carrier material showed some unpleasant mould spots, yellowing here and there and some unsightly discolouration.
I worried about the health aspect too. Would the mould spores affect our health for example asthma and allergies? I decided to use the sections that didn’t look discoloured in our basement for my partners “man cave”. Once I tried to hang it I quickly realised two further issues with vintage wallpaper: for one, decades of sitting in storage did not improve the adhesive quality of the carrier material and the wallpapering process didn’t go as smooth as I had anticipated. Secondly, once I realised that the section I had salvaged wasn’t sufficient for the feature wall I had planned, I couldn’t find anymore rolls in stock.
I decided I needed a different plan and found an online retailer that stocks a selection of high quality retro wallpapers. Some of the designs on offer where remarkably close to the vintage wallpaper I was trying to source and I quickly realised that modern retro wallpaper was the answer to my quest. Retro wallpaper combines the great looks of vintage wallpapers with all the advantages of modern manufacturing techniques. This means that its quality, safety standards and breathability are infinitely better.
For the living room I knew exactly what I wanted and opted for a model called Esus, a timeless classic pattern that evoke memories of my grandparents’ house but with a fresh take.
For the feature wall in my partners man cave, we thought we best do some research as the wallpaper will be placed behind the bar. Our worry was that the it could get damaged if any of the drinks were to accidentally spill on the wallpaper. We eventually decided on a wallpaper called Sinon, which offers a splash resistant surface. This is a great plus for it makes it easy to clean: simply wipe off the dirt with a cloth and you are good to go.
Quality retro wallpaper is a recommended alternative for all those seeking the allure of vintage design but are not prepared to compromise on the quality and safety aspects.